When you are injured at work, it can be very difficult. You worry about how you will pay the bills until you are well again. This is why filing a workers’ compensation claim is important. It will ensure that your medical bills ad other bills are paid and that you receive money to replace some of the wages that you may have lost due to missing time on the job. Here is a guide to filing a workers’ compensation claim.ÂÂ
Report The Accident To Your Employer
When you are injured at work, it is important that you report the accident to your employer. This will ensure that your claim with workers’ compensation will be covered by the company’s insurance policy. Do this as soon as possible. Every good lawyer, whether it’s a workers’ compensation attorney in Georgia or one in New York, will tell you that if you do not report the accident as soon as possible, then they may not cover any of your expenses or lost wages. The information that you will need to provide your employer is the date of your accident, where it happened, and what kind of work you were doing at the time. Make sure that everything about the accident is recorded correctly so that there are no discrepancies in the future should you have any legal disputes with your company.ÂÂ
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
It is very important that you seek medical attention immediately after being injured on the job. Not only will this be beneficial for your physical injuries but also for documentation purposes. When you are in the hospital with your injuries, make sure to keep all records filed correctly and on time. This includes doctor’s visits, treatment plans, and any documentation of lost wages if they apply. If you fail to obtain immediate medical attention then details surrounding your injury may become clouded or forgotten over time, which could prevent a workers’ compensation claim from succeeding.
Get Documentation Of Your Lost Wages
If one of the reasons for filing a workers’ compensation claim is because you have lost wages, then it is absolutely vital that you keep all documentation about your lost wages. This should include any records from timesheets to work logs or records from other means such as PTO or sick days. Any company records that indicate time missed due to your injury will be immensely helpful in establishing your claim and proving what kind of money you can expect to receive back.
Contact Witnesses
If there are any witnesses to your accident, it is important that you get in touch with them. Witnesses are useful because they can corroborate what happened or give information that may not have been included in the initial report. If any bystanders saw what happened, then ask for their contact information and make sure to include all of this information when filing a workers’ compensation claim.
Get A Lawyer To Help You
Although many people think they can file a workers’ compensation claim on their own without any outside help, this can be a big mistake. You are dealing with your company’s insurance policy, which means that you are putting yourself in a position where you could unknowingly sign away some of your rights. This is why it is important to have representation by way of an attorney when filing a workers’ compensation claim. They can ensure that all documentation is correct and filed on time so that no discrepancies occur later down the road.
How To File The Claim
After you have filed the appropriate documentation and reported your injury to your employer, it is time to file a workers’ compensation claim. The process involves filling and submitting the right forms and documents. There are many ways that you can do this, but the simplest option is through your lawyer, as mentioned. You can also go through your company’s human resources office. They might be able to guide you through the process and ensure that everything goes smoothly from there.
What To Do If Your Claim Is Denied
In some cases, a claim may be denied for various reasons such as not meeting certain qualifications for filing a worker’s compensation claim. If your claim is denied, then you still have the right to appeal the decision. Whenever a claim is initially denied, it does not mean that it will stay this way. There are many options that you can explore if you feel that your employer’s insurance policy has made a mistake or if they simply do not want to pay for your injuries. These options include going to court and filing a petition. Visit Camp Lejeune victims denied payment for assistance in getting the most of the compensation.
Before you even think about filing a workers’ compensation claim, make sure that you are following these steps carefully. It takes careful planning including careful paperwork organization and accurate reporting to file a successful workers’ compensation claim. If done correctly, then the outcome of your efforts will be more than worth it.
